"WEDDING?" I shouted in disbelief as I was dragged out of the mausoleum. "I JUST WOKE UP, ISN'T THAT SUDDEN???"

Bennett rolled his eyes as he picked me up bridal style. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time." He turned to look at me, unamused. "A lot longer than a measly five years, might I add."

As we left the darkness, I prepared myself for the piercing light of the outside world. But to my horror, the world as I knew it had changed drastically.

The once blue yet smoky sky was dyed a deep crimson as smog filled the air. Everywhere I looked, there was carnage. Countless demons were feasting on the corpses of human beings.

What happened while I was–

"I suppose a lot has happened while you were in that coma." Bennett sighed as he continued to walk, unbothered by the massacred wasteland by which we were surrounded by.

"The gist of it was that a certain demon decided to revolt against the humans. One thing led to another and..."

Bennett smirked. "The demon side ended up overpowering the humans and killing them all."

How blunt... A second later my feet were suddenly planted back on the ground. "We're here," Bennett smirked as he kissed my cupped hand. I wanted to gag in response.

As I was led into the dilapidated church, arm in arm by Bennett, I gulped as I readied myself for the worst. Things were just as you would expect. The church was barely standing as the interior was filled with nothing but rubble and destruction.

I had half-heartedly expected a priest to be awaiting us at the end of the aisle. But the church was surprisingly empty. As I took in the hollow room, we soon reached the altar.

Bennett sighed before pulling out two expensive rings. "Sadly, we can't get this wedding officially ordained by a priest." He smirked to himself playfully. "Y'know, since they've all been killed by demons."

Was that supposed to be a joke? He's acting like this is just a regular Tuesday for him! Everyone is... dead. Innocent people like Ophelia are dead. Thoughts like that ring heavy around my neck...

As Bennett held the rings up proudly to admire them, he continued. "It goes without saying that you'll say I do. So, we can just skip the formalities. It's not like it matters anymore."

Begrudgingly, I played along with whatever fantasy this was and slipped the ring onto his finger. I simply wasn't in the mood to fight him.

Bennett's eyes lit up once the ring was placed on his finger. As he went to place the other one on mine next, I tensed up as I closed my eyes in dread.

"VANA!!!" A voice echoed through the barren church as the doors were suddenly pulled open.

Looking to the side, I was taken aback by a surprising figure. "Cassius?" I said in disbelief as I pulled my hand away.

He looked... different. I know it's normal for someone to change a lot within five years. But it was still a shocking sight to see, nonetheless. He had grown his hair out and was wearing a dark expensive suit. It was as if he had become more... serious. And even cold?

As he made his way down the aisle, Bennett went to block me from his view. "I should have known you had something to do with Vana's disappearance." Cassius spat coldly.

Bennett crossed his arms, haughtily. "And what of it?" Bennett responded curtly.

As the two were now standing face to face with each other, neither one showed any ounce of backing down. "If I had known a halfling like you would become such a nuisance, I would've killed you on the same night as your father."

Cassius gritted his teeth as he tried to suppress his agitation. Bennett turned to me with an amused smirk. "You know he's the reason the world is like this."

I perked up in intrigue as I looked at Cassius in confusion. "Go on, ask him yourself." Bennett urged me.

Taking a deep breath, Cassius exhaled before starting. "I wanted that school to pay for exiling you. So, I waited until after I graduated to those pests."

I winced in pain as I was hit with a sudden headache. Sensing what it was, I opened my status window. Mission accomplished. I, succeeded? I guess Cassius did manage to graduate in the end. But at what cost...?

"I didn't mean for the whole world to become like this. It only escalated because I lost control of my emotions." Cassius explained as he looked at me with sincerity.

Bennett poked Cassius smugly in the chest. "Right, the murder of one's father is sure to leave a lasting impact at the end of the day."

Cassius clicked his tongue in response to Bennett's taunts. "Keep gloating. I'll be wiping that smirk off your face in just a second."

Bennett raised an eyebrow questioningly as he looked Cassius up and down. "Oh really?" Bennett responded in a condescending tone.

Raising one hand up, a ball of black magic started to form in Cassius' hand. "I've been waiting for the day I could kill you for so long."

Cassius' eyes quickly darted towards my face. "And you even brought Vana here. Thanks for reuniting me with my lover."

Bennett stiffened as he clutched my shoulder, possessively. "Well, you're just begging me to kill you now."

Reaching into his pockets, Bennett pulled out a silver vial. And stared at it, admiringly. "I'll even grant you the same death as him."

Upon hearing this, Cassius threw his ball at Bennett's hand, causing him to drop the sturdy vial to the floor. The two soon engaged in a clash as both parties cast their magic against one another.

I picked the silver vial up in a daze. Nothing felt real anymore, I felt myself completely dissociate from this reality. All that mattered was that I was done. I could leave this world with no regrets.

...

Almost no regrets. As I watched the two continue in their tussle, anger started to build up inside me. Bennett was slowly but surely gaining the upper hand on Cassius. I suppose an inexperienced halfling is no match for a pureblood at the end of the day.

Feeling fuelled by the anger, I stormed towards Bennett who had Cassius pinned to the ground. Just as Bennett was about to land the finishing blow, I quickly spoke up.

"BENNETT!" I yelled. He looked up at me briefly before returning his attention to Cassius.

"IF YOU WANT THERE TO EVER BE A CHANCE THAT I RETURN YOUR AFFECTIONS, THEN YOU'LL STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!"

Bennett gritted his teeth before slamming Cassius' head against the ground, rendering him unconscious. I quickly turned my back to him once he started to rise to his feet.

"You can't convince me not to kill him. He's an obstacle, Vicky." Bennett extended a hand toward me. "He needs to die so we can be happy together."

I felt my stomach turn. "We'll never be happy together," I interjected. "This is as close as you'll ever get to obtaining that dream..."

With a tight grip on the vial, I chugged it whole as I turned to face Bennett. He looked at me in confusion. But he was too slow to react as I had already pulled him into a deep kiss.

Once Bennett realised I was forcing all of the poison down his throat, he pushed me off of him as he stumbled backwards to cough. "W... What are you–"

"Savour that last kiss, because there won't ever be another one," I said cockily as I wiped the traces of poison from my mouth.

As Bennett fell to the floor, he clutched his chest desperately. He looked up at me in despair as I straddled him. A smirk grew on my face, seeing how defenceless Bennett was at that moment.

Wrapping my hands around his neck, happy tears formed in my eyes. "I'm finally getting my happy ending." Bennett attempted to pry my hands off of him, but his strength was growing fainter by the second.

"And guess what?" A maniacal smile grew on my face. "In my ideal afterlife, you won't even FUCKING exist!"

"N... No!" Bennett attempted to protest. But it was futile. He was no longer in control.

I added more pressure to the strangling as I released an animalistic scream. As his teary eyes rolled back in despair, his hands fell limply to the side.

All I could do was laugh in response. We somehow came full circle as I couldn't help but be reminded of that house fire that started it all.

Feeling finally at peace, I fell backwards to the floor with ease. As I stared up at the damaged church ceiling above, my vision started to blur. The last thing I could recall in my final moments was a trembling voice.

"V... Vana?" Cassius called out in disbelief as he crawled towards me. "N-N-No! You can't die! I just found you again!" He cried as he cradled my body.

With glowing eyes, he looked at me intensely. His face contorted into that of frustration as he tried to maintain eye contact. "Don't die! That's an order!" He howled desperately as teardrops fell onto my face.

But his demon abilities did not affect me. I was beyond saving at this point. All I could do was stroke his face one last time with a pitiful smile.

Finally. I'm free. No more living in constant fear. I'm free from Bennett's hold forever. I couldn't be any happier.